Wrapping machine



Sept. 9, 1930. A. G. RQs 1,775,212

WRAPPING MACHINE Filed Dec. l, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. 9, 1930. ROSE 1,775,212

WRAPPING MACHINE Filed Dec. 1. 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 9, 1 930 UNITED STATES PATENT orrlca ALFRED GERMAN ROSE, OF GAINSBOROUGH, ENG-LAND, ASBIGNOB OI ONE-HALF TO BOSE BROTHERS (GAINSBOROUGH) LIMITED, OF GAINSBOROUGH, ENGLAND, A

BRITISH COMPANY WRAPPING MACHmE Application filed December 1, 1988. Serial No. 828,180.

The invention relates to machines for enclosing tablets of confectionery or other articles 1n wrappers of paper, metal foil or like sheet material.

The invention is concerned with a wrapping machine of the rotatable carrier wheel type in which the articles to be wrapped and the wrapper blanks are fed into pockets at the periphery of the wheel, stationary folding devices co-operate with the rotational movement of the wheel to make certain folds in the wrapper, and an ejector device 0 erates to eject the partially wrapped artlcles partially wrapped articles from the wheel.

from the wheel, after which the folding of the wrapper is completed. The invention deals particularly with the rovision in a machine of the above type oi means to ensure that the wrappers (which may be of fragile material, such as metal foil) will not be ruflied or torn during the ejection of the from the charging device aforesaid and arranged to engage and remove one at a time partially wrapped articles from the wheel pockets, and mechanical means actuated automat-ically on the arrival of a wheel pocket opposite the ejector device and before that device operates, to move the movable jaw of the pocket in a direction away from the companion jaw.

The above and other features of the invention will be better understood from the following description with reference to drawings of one example-of machine embodying the invention.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a side-elevation, partly in section, of the wrapping machine;

Figure 2 is a plan of the machine, and

Figures 36 show the tablet and its wrapper in various consecutive stages of the foldmg of the wrapper.

Like reference numerals indicate like parts throughout the figures.

The machine comprises a carrier wheel 10 provided-with six tablet-receiving pockets 11 spaced apart at equal intervals round the periphery of the wheel. Each receiving pocket comprises two jaws 12, 13 the former of which is pivotally mounted so that it may be moved (in a manner to be hereinafter described) towards and away from its comp'anion jaw 13 which is fixed. The carrier wheel is mounted on a shaft 14 which is rotated step-by-step (by means of the usual Geneva-stop mechanism shown at 15 in Figure 2) so that the receiving pockets 11 are brought in turn to rest at the wheel charging station, that is opposite to a reciprocating pusher 16. The tablets 17 are fed along a channel 18 in a direction parallel with the axis of the carrier wheel and they are pushed one at a time out of the channel into successive wheel pockets. The pusher is carried on a cranked lever 19 which is reciprocated by a cam 20.

The wrappers for the tablets are formed from successive portions in the length of a continuous web 21 which is fed downwardly between the periphery of the carrierwheel and the supply channel 18. A knife (not shown) operates periodically to sever the leading portion of the web so forming an individual wrapper which, on the forward stroke of the pusher, is engaged by the advancing tablet and carried with it into the particular wheel pocket which is located at the charging station. The movable jaw 12 of each pocket is formed with a lever arm 22 with which co-operates a light sprin 23 in compression between the arm and a xed portion 24 of the wheel. The springs 23 en'- sure that each tablet and its wrapper, when forced into a wheel pocket, will be resiliently gripped between the fixed and movable jaws thereof.

Each wrapper is of such dimensions and is so positioned in relation to the pusher that when forcedinto a wheel pocket it will be dis? posed as shown in Figure 3. In this position .the wrapper covers the top and bottom of the tablet and that edge of it which faces towards the axis of the wheel, and has end portions projecting beyond opposite ends of the tablet and a flap 26 which is a continuation of that portion of the wrapper which underlies the bottom of the tablet.

The carrier wheel is rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow in Figure 1. The

, by the guide 27 and folded over the adjacent.

marginal edge of the tablet. During this movement of partial rotation of the wheel the pocket under consideration is brought opposite to two stationary brush members 28 located on opposite sldes respectively of the wheel in positions such that they will engage the projecting end portions 25 of the wrapper. As the pocket is traversed pastthe members 28 they operate by a brushing action to fold over the wrapper end portions 25 on to the ends of the tablet as shown in Figure 4. During further rotational movement of the wheel and while the pocket aforesaid is still on the underside thereof stationary 'folding blades 29, 30 (a pair on each side of the wheel) op-. ,erate to engage and close in against the ends of thetablet the wings (shown inFigure 5), of the projecting wrapper portions 25 so that the'wrapper now takes the form illustrated in Figure 5. Finally the wheel pocket arrives at a position, diametrically opposite the charging station, where an ejector o crates to 'rewhile a wheel pocket is stationary at theejeclib move the wheel.

The ejector comprises fingers 32 which are carried by slides 33 movable horizontally in bearings 34. The slides 33 are reciprocated by mechanism (which need not be described in detail) comprising cams 35, cam-followers 36 carried on pivoted levers 37, and coupling rods 38 connecting the levers 37 with the slides. The arrangement is such that the ej ector fingers 32 make their forward movements partially wrapped ta let from the tor station, and' their backward movements While the wheel is moving and after the 1m vancing those in front. As each tablet moves along the channel the tab portions '26 of the wrapper are folded onto the underside of the tablet and the wrapping is thus completely closed. The tab folding devices, constituted by inclined guide ways 40, 41 (see Figure 2), are situated one after the other in the channel 39 so thata neat closure can be made. even I though the tabs are of such length that one will overlie the other. In order to release the normal gripping pressure of the jaws 12, 13 of each pocket as it arrives at the ejector station and prior to the operation of the ejector, the following arran ement is employed. A tappet 42 1s pivota y mounted at 43- and formed with or coupled to an arm 44carrying a cam-follower 45 which co-operates with a cam 46. A spring 47 is arranged to maintain the cam-follower 45 in contact with the periphery of the-cam. At the end of the lever arm 22 on the movable jaw of each wheel pocket a screw 48 is mounted in a position such that when a pocket is at the ejector station the head of the screw will be opposite the free end of the tappet 42. The action of the tappet (which is reciprocated by the cam 46) is-to engage the head of the screw 48 and by movement of the lever arm 22 (against the influence of the spring 23) open the hinged jaw 12 slightly so'as to leave the tablet and its wrap pler free to be withdrawn by the ejector. e provision of ositive j aw opening mechanism of the above 1nd is of importance where the wrappers are of fragile material such as'metal foil and would otherwise be liable to damage (by belng ruffled or torn by the pressure of the pocket jaws) during the ejection of the .partlally wrapped tablets from the wheel.

-I claim:

' 1. In a wrapping machine of the class specified the combination of a carrler wheel rotatable step-by-step about its axis, recelving pockets spaced apartat equal lntervals round the periphery of said wheel and each constituted by two jaws one of which is-movable relatively to the other, a charging deg vice arranged to feed articles with their wrappers one at a time into successlve pockets of the wheel, an ejector device spaced apart round the wheel from the charging device aforesaid and arranged to engage and remove one at a time partially wrapped articlesfrom the wheel pockets, stationary folding members which are located, circumferentially of the wheel, between the ch'arg- .ing and ejector devices and are in the form of brushes arranged to engage and fold over by a brushing action projecting end portions of each wrapper, and mechanical means actufore that device operates, to move the movable jaw of the pocket in. a directionaway from the companion jaw.

2. In a wrapping machine of the class moved from the carrier wheel pockets by the specified the combination of a carrier wheel ejector device aforesaid and conveyed thererotatable step-by-step about its axis, receivby to said means.

ing pockets spaced apart at equal intervals round the periphery of said wheel and each constituted by two jaws one of which is movable relatively to the other, a charging device arranged to feed articles with their wrappers oneat a time into successive pockets of the wheel, an ejector device spaced apart. round the wheel from the charging device aforesaid and arranged to engage and remove one at a time partially wrapped.

articles from the wheel pockets, a tappet arranged for operation, in synchronism with the arrival of the wheel pockets opposite the ejector device, to engage the movable jaw of the pocket atthe ejector station and to move said jaw in a direction away from the companion jaw prior to the operation of the ejector, and stationary folding members which are located, circumferentially 'of the wheeLbetween the charging and ejector. devices and are in the form of brushes arranged to engage and fold over by a brushing action projecting end portions of each wrapper.

3. In a wrapping machine of the class specified the combination of a carrier wheel rotatable step-by-step about its axis, receiving pockets spaced apart at equal intervals 'round the periphery of said wheel and each constituted by two jaws, one fixed and the other hinged for movement towards and away from the fixed jaw, a lever-arm on the hinged jaw of each pocket, a charging device arranged to feed articles with their wrappers one at a time into successive pockets of the wheel, an ejector device spaced apart round the wheel from the charging device aforesaid and arranged to engage and remove one at a time partially wrapped articles from the wheel -pockets ,a pivoted tappet cam-operated, in synchronism with the arrival of a wheel pocket opposite the ejector device, to engage the aforesaid lever-arm on the hinged jaw of that pocket and thereby to move the hinged jaw away from the companion fixed jaw prior to the operation of the ejector, and stationary. folding members which are located, circumferentially of the wheel, between the charging and ejector devices and are in the form of brushes arranged to engage and'fold over by a brushing action projecting end portions of each-wrapper.

4. The combination claimed in claim 3,

,combined with a screw on the lever-arm ofeach hinged pocket-jaw, so situated as to be engaged by the tappet in the ejection position of the pocket, the screws aforesaid being adjustable to vary the position which theyoccupy at the ejector station in relation to the tappet. v

5. The combination claimed in claim 1, plus means operable to complete the folding of the vwrappers after the articles are re- In testimony whereof I afiix my signature. 

